


your soulmark, and mine

by vaahtokarkki



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, a lot of timeskips because this spans a longer amount of time, shu is also there but he has no lines. sorry shu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 21:51:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15591465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaahtokarkki/pseuds/vaahtokarkki
Summary: Rei's soulmark should be an easy one, but often, life throws unforeseen complications on the way.





	your soulmark, and mine

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! I've been really excited to post this one, and finally, it's time! technically, I started writing this a year ago, but only recently I dusted it off and completed it. not much else to say, except that the final scene(s) happen during rei's cup phone sub story, if you've read that one (and if you haven't, I recommend it, it's got the three oddballs and it's absolutely lovely. you can find it with the name "the gods' play")
> 
> I truly hope you like this one! I put a lot of love into it <3

Rei’s soulmark inks itself on his skin on his tenth birthday.

It appears while he sleeps, and it takes half a morning for the tingling on his back to grow strong enough to be irritating, strong enough for him to find out what’s wrong.

Their house has exactly one mirror without any silver on it – his mother insists that silver mirrors go better with the decor, even though most of their family can’t see their reflections on them. The mirror is in a room rarely used, and Rei finds it, then takes off his shirt and peeks over his shoulder to see his back through the mirror.

He knows right away it _must_ be a soulmark. When he traces its corners with his fingers, it’s clearly a tattoo, but it doesn’t hurt at all. Writing is a common type of soulmark, and what he has is a piece of text that goes across his whole back, from neck to waist.

He _was_ under the impression that written soulmarks are supposed to be small and clean and easy to hide, but maybe this means his soulmate has a large personality, as well.

Rei copies the writing down the best he can through the mirror. Back in his room, he decides it must be a name – a signature – and he carefully folds the paper that now holds his secret to hide it inside a lockable drawer close to his bed.

Inexperienced in what _love_ could mean, but a young romantic intrigued by the thought of _destiny_ , Rei stares at the paper every night for weeks and wonders the same things he guesses most people do when their soulmark surfaces; how long until they meet, what his soulmate will be like, what their soulmark is like in turn –

Writing, most likely, he knows. A name isn’t necessarily matched with a name, but in most cases, a tattoo matches a tattoo, to make the connection easier to figure out.

After a few weeks of not allowing anyone even accidentally to see his back, and going through every possibility in his head, Rei is left with only one wish – that his soulmate would understand him.

After a couple of years, Rei has nearly forgotten he even has the paper hidden away in the drawer, when he has much more pressing issues to worry about. Is there sense in being on the lookout for a soulmate, when his soulmark is as clear as they can come?

 

 

The oddball thing feels like a joke at first, but it becomes more and more real the more it sets them apart from the rest of the school, and they make contact so they can at least find solace in each other. With all five of them in the same room, it’s glaringly obvious how mismatched they are on the surface, but when Rei closes his eyes and inhales, he comes across four auras as strong as his own, albeit all in different ways.

So he opens his eyes to look at the four boys whose expressions hold various states of interest and distrust, splits his mouth into a toothy grin, and introduces himself first – just to break the ice, as _everyone_ in Yumenosaki knows who Rei Sakuma is.

It works for a starter, loosens the atmosphere, and Rei finds himself relaxed until the pretty, blue-haired boy on his left draws his long ponytail on one shoulder, tilts his head with a wide smile, and introduces himself as _Wataru Hibiki._

Rei’s stomach drops through the floor as a vivid memory of himself writing down every possible way to read his soulmark flashes before his eyes. Wataru’s next words are distant in his ears, and when the pink-haired boy with the most distrust in his eyes speaks next, the only reason Rei can remember his name is from the mention of Valkyrie, whose leader Rei can now recognise him to be.

Perhaps he should’ve paid even a little attention to the students despite never wanting this job, he thinks much later in the student council room, where he frantically goes through school records, flips through second-graders, until he sees the name he could still write even in his dreams.

Rei’s back feels warm, but he’s not sure if he can count that as a sign – he doesn’t even know how to bring this up to Wataru, when they barely know each other.

He slowly puts the file back and weighs his options. Perhaps it’s better to wait, to get to know his new friends first – there’s turmoil on the way, and Rei is observant enough to know that the five of them are destined to be at the center of it, whether they wanted it or not.

 

 

They talk about soulmates exactly once with the oddballs. It’s not a big deal to any of them, as no one yet knows who theirs is – Rei lies, and not even Wataru sees through him. They’re all more interested in the five of them and the connection they’ve been building, even those who at first seemed more reluctant about it.

There’s some peculiarity to their soulmarks, but nothing too strange; Natsume dreams in monochrome, and Kanata claims he can feel two different people’s emotions inside him sometimes. Two soulmates, as Wataru explains, isn’t that unusual, although they rarely connect to the same soulmark like Kanata’s do.

”What about you, Shishou?” Natsume asks, golden eyes sparkling with curiosity. He’s the youngest of them, and completely adorable in the way he looks up to them all – though Wataru is clearly his favourite. Rei thinks of the approaching storm he feels in his bones and prays that this boy doesn’t have to lose all his innocence when it hits them.

While Wataru gathers his thoughts, Rei leans back in his seat, trying his best to _not_ look like Wataru’s soulmark is the one he’s the most interested in.

”Me? Hmm...” Wataru finally speaks. ”I’m not sure I even have a soulmate! That can happen too, you know… There’s a mark on my body, but I think it’s a birthmark. But it’s fine as long as I’ve got you four! You’re worth much more than one soulmate to me...☆”

Shu groans at the sudden, affectionate words, but the tips of his ears are pink. Kanata’s laughter is bright, and Natsume’s face is painted with a grin, so Rei musters up a smile as well.

“Well, what about you, Rei?” Wataru rests his chin on his hand, watching Rei with a smile. “Someone like you is _sure_ to have a story...”

“Oh? Mine’s not interesting”, Rei laughs. “Just a name written on me.”

“That’s the easiest type, isn’t It? At least you’ll know when you meet Them. I can’t go around asking people if they’re Colourblind.”

“You might be right”, Rei shrugs.

Easy? No, he wouldn’t say so, but he couldn’t explain why without telling his friends _whose_ name he can see on his back when he catches a glimpse of it in the mirror.

Wataru’s smile is wide as ever as they shift into other topics, and Rei’s back feels like it’s on fire but he ignores it, as the boy sitting in front of him doesn’t recognise Rei from his own soulmark.

No, not easy.

 

 

“So, are your eyes naturally red?” Wataru’s head is tilted and his eyes are intently fixed on Rei’s.

“Says the guy with purple eyes. Nah, they’re real. I’m a vampire.” Rei grins and bares his fangs.

He expects the usual reaction, disbelief, but instead, Wataru’s eyes shoot open and he brings his fingers to touch the side of his neck. It’s the first time Rei has seen Wataru genuinely surprised, and the sight is so cute that he momentarily forgets what his next line should be.

“Don’t worry”, Rei collects himself, “I don’t bite.”

Wataru seems to have regained his composure as well, and he withdraws his hand from his neck.

“Who knows? I might be into it”, Wataru laughs, but he leans closer, and his eyes dart to Rei’s mouth.

“I’ll keep that in mind”, Rei goes to meet him, so close that he can see Wataru’s eyelashes and the way they flutter when he brings his gaze up to meet Rei’s. It would be so, so easy to close that distance, to find closure for all kinds of restless feelings in his stomach that have lately associated themselves with Wataru, and Rei parts his lips, all worries forgotten –

– when a crash from the other side of the room startles them, and Wataru’s head snaps back.

“Anyone hurt?” Wataru asks without pause, his eyes falling to the floor that’s covered in glass shards, the remains of a vial Natsume uses in his experiments.

“I don’t think So”, Natsume replies, his voice shaking slightly. “We just got Careless. Fortunately, it was Empty.”

Kanata’s face is painted with guilt as Natsume carefully steps over the glass to find something to clean it with.

“I’ll help”, Wataru stands up. “Shu will be _very_ cross if he sees we made a mess in his clubroom. He hasn’t been feeling well lately, you know?”

Rei keeps himself seated and watches Wataru stride to where Natsume is without as much as a glance towards Rei. Rei absent-mindedly brings his fingers to his lips, and then lets them drop with a sigh.

 

 

Nothing is the same after the war, and this can’t be seen clearer on anyone else than Rei. Whispers and stares follow him everywhere he goes, and added to how he feels like he’s aged decades, his coffin in the light music club room becomes his solace against the rest of the school.

Wataru, greatly altered as well though it’s harder to see on him, shields himself firmer than ever behind the exaggerated persona he’s built through his life, only quieting down when they’re alone and know there’s no danger of anyone walking in and seeing behind Wataru’s mask. Rei would count himself as special, but knows Wataru doesn’t see it it like that – they’ve both been set apart from people all their lives, so it’s only natural they could understand each other’s struggles like no other.

And Wataru is immensely patient with him; somehow showing up in class every time Rei decides to go, doing everything to make Rei smile, and lending Rei his shoulder when Rei’s worn out, his voice quieting into a low, gentle tone.

Moments like those make Rei think of the name tattooed across his back, but through all the time they’ve spent together, Wataru has not once implied Rei or anyone else could be his soulmate, so Rei has locked his tattoo inside his heart and accepted that one day he might meet a person whose name is written the exact same way as Wataru’s.

Rei _would_ tell him, he really would, if only to get it off his chest, but he hasn’t dared to hope for a lot after having all his dreams ripped away from him not too long ago only for the rest of him to be thrown into the dirt. He refuses to believe he could be so lucky that Wataru were his soulmate, after all.

 

 

Rei doesn’t remember falling asleep in class, but that’s where he wakes up. The room is all but empty, with only Wataru there, sitting in front of Rei and gazing upon him with a fond smile.

“You’re really hopeless, aren’t you?” Wataru’s laughter breaks through the sleepy haze Rei is still in and fills him with warmth.

“You didn’t wake me up?” Rei inquired, blinking away his drowsiness.

“I never want to! When you sleep, you look like all your worries had disappeared...☆”

Rei chuckles as a response. He doesn’t know what to say to that, when those worries plague him every second he’s awake. It’s still a nice sentiment.

“Are classes over?” Rei asks instead. Wataru nods.

“You don’t have unit practise today, right? What do you want to do next? Take a nap?”

“I just had one.”

“Like that would stop you! How about a walk in the gardens, then?”

“Isn’t the sun still high?”

“You can lean on me if you get tired”, Wataru’s eyes are twinkling, but there’s something masked behind them (there always is), and Rei knows Wataru well enough to know it’s worry. It’s true Rei has been even more tired than usual lately, and Wataru has surely noticed.

Wataru worries more than he lets anyone see, and Rei doesn’t want to add to those worries, so he goes for a smile he hopes is reassuring.

“Do you have any plans today?”

“Nothing I can’t cancel.”

“Then take a walk with me once the sun sets.”

“And until that?”

“The nap didn’t sound half bad.”

Wataru’s laughter is surely brighter than anything else than Rei knows, and it resonates inside him, bubbles inside his stomach. When Wataru leads him to the empty theatre club room with steady arms and there lets him rest on his lap, Rei wonders why it ever mattered who his soulmate is when he has someone like Wataru beside him.

 

 

All three of Yumenosaki’s remaining oddballs in class, a miracle in itself, and not a single one of them remembered they have physical education. It isn’t _that_ surprising, considering they rarely show up in class at all.

“I never check the schedule”, Wataru’s voice is cheerful. “That way, it’s always a surprise what the class is about! It’s not like I do homework or study for tests, anyway...”

Wataru has undone his tie and is working on the buttons of his shirt. Rei turns around to stop himself from staring, until he remembers he can’t take his shirt off with his back facing the other two. Kanata isn’t paying much attention to his surroundings, but Wataru is far too close…

Rei’s fingers hover over his top sweater button, and when he finally turns back around, Wataru is already pulling his gym shirt on.

“Hmm? Do you need help with that, Rei-kun~?”

Wataru’s tone is light and teasing, but his eyes linger on Rei’s chest, and when he carefully pulls his hair from under his shirt, Rei looks at his slender fingers and imagines them doing his shirt, button by button.

“You are very cheeky today”, Rei accuses, turning his face away to hide his blush.

“What can I say? I get to spend time with two of my dearest friends! It’s more than enough to get me excited...☆”

Kanata hums happily at the words. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, as he’s been unbuttoning his shirt for the last two minutes.

Rei still hesitates, fingers still playing with a button, and Wataru chuckles.

“Or is it that you’re feeling shy? Don’t worry! Look, I’ll turn around.”

Rei would object and tell him that’s _not_ why he hasn’t started yet, but, well, that _is_ the reason he can’t look Wataru in the eyes while undressing.

Wataru spins around like he promised, but Rei feels embarrassed enough just staring at his back, so he turns a little, just enough to not see Wataru anymore.

Now, Rei strips quickly, shedding his sweater, tie, and shirt. He’s pulling on his gym shirt when Kanata’s voice breaks the silence.

“What is ‘that’?”

Rei whips around to meet Kanata’s curious eyes.

Rei curses in his head. He was so focused on Wataru that he completely forgot about Kanata.

“That’s...” Rei has never actually had this conversation; he doesn’t undress in company and has consistently skipped PE classes since he was a child. It shouldn’t be a big deal now, though, right? He’s already told his friends what his soulmark is, after all. “It’s the name of my soulmate”, Rei finally admits.

Kanata nods and makes a _mm_ sound, but Wataru turns around.

“ _That’s_ what you were worried about?” Wataru laughs, his eyes twinkling. “You still haven’t met them, right? Or could it be we know them?”

“Kind of”, Rei mutters. Wataru raises an eyebrow.

“Oh? And they say _I’m_ hard to figure out! Although”, his smile falters just a bit, “naturally I won’t pry if you want to keep it a secret.”

Rei looks at him, and considers it. He considers Wataru’s smile, plastered on his face in an uncomfortable way, he considers Wataru’s eyes, attentive but underlined with the worry that Rei doesn’t trust them enough to tell – and he considers himself and the name he’s kept from everyone, including his closest friends. Even Ritsu doesn’t know – not that he’d care, Rei supposes.

“Maybe...” Rei begins, overtaken by a sudden burst of bravery, “...maybe you should see it.”

Wataru’s smile dies to be replaced by a more serious expression, while Kanata looks away from them to give them some privacy, catching that Rei meant only Wataru. Rei’s back tingles, matching the way the inside of his chest is burning, and he wonders if this truly is the right decision.

Wataru reaches him with three long steps, and then hovers still, locking his eyes with Rei’s.

“Pull up my shirt”, Rei tells him, and turns away from Wataru.

Rei knows his whole body must be shaking, and he tenses when he feels Wataru’s warm fingers hook under his shirt. Wataru slowly draws it all the way up, and Rei expects him to say something, _anything_ , but for once in his life, he stays quiet. He gently traces his fingers across the lines of his name, setting aflame every part he touches. Rei trembles under those fingers, still waiting for a reaction from Wataru.

Wataru exhales deeply and removes his hands from Rei, letting the shirt fall back down.

And then he finally speaks.

“You know, Rei, I’ve been thinking about that whole vampire thing.”

The words are _far_ from what Rei expected, and the tension stored in his body only increases.

“What would a bite look like?”

Sure, it’s not unusual for Wataru to stray from a topic, but this one’s something else entirely. When Rei turns around to ask _why_ he’s bringing this up, he sees Wataru rubbing at the side of his neck.

“Would it look, hmm...” Wataru wears a frown, but his gaze is absent-minded, “...something like this?”

Wataru removes his visibly trembling hand, and Rei has to admit this one he never saw coming.

Two dots, with just the right distance to have come from Rei’s fangs, except he’s never bitten Wataru. They’re a reddish shade, and Rei’s throat runs dry as he watches them with wide eyes.

“And I always thought _mine_ is visible”, Wataru laughs weakly. “Should I apologise that my name spans your whole back from neck to waist…?”

“Don’t”, Rei says breathlessly, grabbing at Wataru’s hand. “I’m… that’s...”

“I think we should skip PE”, Wataru says as he grips back at Rei’s hand. His eyes are wide, and he can’t quite hide the way his breathing has turned faster.

“Oh”, Kanata sighs from the other side of the room. When Rei looks at him, he seems to finally have decided to put in some effort and has just changed into his gym shirt.

“Oh, well!” Wataru shrugs. “Let me do that for you.”

Rei reluctantly lets go of Wataru’s hand and watches him stride to Kanata, who pulls his gym shirt over his head so Wataru can throw his uniform shirt on him. Wataru’s fingers seem to work even quicker than usual as he buttons Kanata’s shirt and wraps a green tie around his neck.

Rei is lost in thought, watching Wataru’s hands, and he forgets he also needs to change. So when Wataru pulls Kanata’s shirt collar down and presses a quick kiss to his cheek, getting one back in return, Rei is still standing where he was before.

Wataru turns back at Rei and his lips draw into a smile when he glances down at Rei’s shirt. He walks back to Rei with long, slow steps.

“You know, Rei, my offer to help still stands”, Wataru throws him half a smirk, and usually these kind of words between them are strictly jokes because of lines they won’t cross, but this time…

Well, it’s not surprising. Rei knows the feeling, too, the thought of being allowed to say how he feels without having to backtrack, to hide, to laugh it off –

Still, they haven’t even talked about all this yet, so Rei shies away and responds to Wataru’s flirt with a fond smile that makes Wataru blink in surprise.

“Worry about yourself first, okay?”

“Of course”, Wataru says breathlessly. He bows quickly and spins around to find his own shirt.

This time, Rei allows himself to stare a little. Wataru pulls his shirt off and his hair falls gracefully on his back, parting to reveal more skin when he leans down to pick up his shirt from a nearby desk.

Wataru slowly draws all of his hair on one shoulder and Rei’s breath gets caught in his throat at the sight of his bare, defined back. Surely, Rei has always seen Wataru as a human, as a friend rather than a superhuman, but a sight like this makes him remember why those below Wataru are hopelessly drawn to his beauty and grace.

Before he starts putting on his uniform shirt, Wataru throws a half-lidded glance over his shoulder to meet Rei’s eyes, and only then Rei realises all along Wataru _expected_ him to watch.

Rei coughs and draws his embarrassed gaze from Wataru to look for his own clothes. Fortunately, the multiple layers Wataru wears take him some time to put on, and Rei has enough time to quickly get at least his uniform shirt on. While dressing, his head begins to spin and his hands to shake – an effect of too much excitement during such an early time of day. He fumbles with the buttons of his shirt and prays that he doesn’t faint, not at a time like this.

Rei is trying so hard to focus on buttoning his shirt and not falling over that he only notices Wataru once he’s standing right in front of him. Rei looks up, startled, and Wataru’s face swims before his eyes.

Then Wataru’s hands fall on his waist and shoulder to ground him, and Rei’s sight slowly returns to normal, helped by the knowledge that Wataru wouldn’t let him fall.

_Never again_.

“All better now”, Rei promises, once he’s sure about it himself. Wataru nods and grabs a green tie from the desk Rei left it on, and throws it around Rei’s neck.

Rei finishes the last button and lets his hands fall down so Wataru can do his tie. Wataru hums as his fingers do quick work on it, and Rei raises his chin a little and levels his gaze with the top of Wataru’s head.

“Hmm~ what’s next? The sweater?” Wataru asks as he fastens the tie and sets Rei’s shirt collar down.

“I can –“ Rei starts, but Wataru is faster, and before Rei can finish the sentence, the sweater is in Wataru’s hands. Rei raises his arms so Wataru can slip it on him. There’s the slightest of tremors in Wataru’s hands as he buttons it, and Rei is relieved to realise Wataru is getting more nervous. He’s better at hiding it, the best Rei knows, but since he didn’t reject Rei immediately, wants to touch him like this, is anxious to get them out of the classroom so they can talk… it must mean the identity of his soulmate is a pleasant one.

Rei has been in love with Wataru for a long time, but he never knew if those feelings were returned, not when Wataru hid his core from all of them.

Maybe now he’ll finally let Rei know how he really feels.

Rei grabs Wataru’s trembling hands, and Wataru’s eyes shoot up to meet Rei’s.

“It’s unlike you to get visibly nervous”, Rei murmurs.

“Save that for later”, Wataru throws him a wink, but before he pulls away he squeezes gently at Rei’s hands. “The jacket?”

“I’m on it”, Rei grabs it. “Where shall we go?”

“Let’s see”, Wataru walks to Kanata, who seated himself on top of a desk to wait but stands up when Wataru approaches him. “The fountain? If Kanata wants to come with us.”

Kanata nods attentively, and Wataru beams at him.

“That’s not a very private location”, Rei shakes his head. “The whole school can see us.”

“What _were_ you planning to do?” Wataru gasps in feigned shock as he takes Kanata’s left hand and walks back to Rei.

“Talk, for starters”, Rei clears his throat.

“Then the fountain is just fine, for now”, Wataru takes Rei’s right hand and begins leading them all out of the room. “Kanata is with us – they won’t think too much of the three oddballs hanging out together!”

“Hmm~” Kanata giggles. “I will try to not ‘listen’ too much.”

“We don’t mind you hearing, you know? You’re still our best friend”, Wataru tilts his head, and Kanata’s smile grows radiant. Rei smiles, too – despite Wataru being at the forefront of his thoughts, there’s a warmth that blooms inside him at the reminder that they still can spend time together time like this, that no matter how hard Tenshouin tried to break them down and tear them apart, they’re still here for each other.

Rei squeezes back at Wataru’s hand, who flashes him a smile. Something bubbles inside Rei, and he recognises it to be excitement – he can rarely feel it, these days, but it’s more than appropriate right now. The hallways are deserted, and they quickly make their way out of the school building, with Wataru dragging the two of them along.

To Rei’s relief, the sun is hidden behind clouds. Wataru leads them through the empty schoolyard to the fountain, where he finally stops.

Kanata slips his hand from Wataru’s grasp, drops his bag on the ground next to the fountain, and hums.

“Shoes”, Wataru says immediately, like they’ve been here a hundred times before – which just might be true. Rei spends his time sleeping in his club room, but he’s more than certain that he’s sometimes looked out the window before closing the curtains and seen Wataru sitting on the fountain ledge while Kanata dozes off inside it.

Kanata takes off his shoes and steps into the water. Wataru pulls at Rei’s hand and they sit next to where Kanata sinks in and leans against the edge of the fountain. Rei glances at the school building and doesn’t allow their legs to touch, but hidden from sight between their bodies, their fingers stay entwined.

“So”, Wataru starts once they’ve settled, “I have to ask.”

Rei looks up at him with a nervously beating heart, but there’s a twinkle in Wataru’s eyes.

“My name across your back? Your _whole_ back?”

“Yes”, Rei mutters. His embarrassment grows with each second – he’d have preferred to skip this part, if he had the choice. Wataru is trying hard to fight back a smile, and Rei coughs.

“You never asked?”

“I thought it _could_ be someone else, since you didn’t think much of your soulmark”, Rei gives him the explanation he’s given himself for who knows how long, and it has never sounded as flimsy as now.

“There’s a _star_ drawn after it, Rei”, Wataru finally allows himself to laugh, but it’s not mean, it’s not accusing – it’s almost… relieved. He relaxes, leaning a little closer to Rei.

“Maybe I should have asked”, Rei sighs, turning his head so he can better see Wataru’s face. “Things were hectic back then, and afterwards… I’d lost too much to risk baring my heart only to be met with rejection.”

“Rei”, Wataru calls softly, scooting even closer to lay his head on Rei’s shoulder, “I would never turn you away. If anything...” He pauses and closes his eyes. “Back then, all you said is you have a name on you. I assumed, since you didn’t tell, all this time – that it was someone else’s name.”

“Oh”, Rei breathes out. “That… makes sense.”

Heat flares on his cheeks, and he takes a moment to sort himself out. Of course he should have let Wataru know much earlier – it feels obvious now, that the name on his back is in Wataru’s handwriting, because _who else_ has a handwriting that grand and would end his name in a messy star?

“I don’t mind that it took this long”, Wataru says next. He’s breathing calmly against Rei’s shoulder in a way that’s familiar from last year. Back then, before the storm hit them, they’d all spend time like this, simply basking in each other’s presence. Wataru always was the most defenseless with them, with – Rei realises and his heart makes a painful jolt – with _him_.

“I think I fell in love with you the first time I heard you laugh”, Rei confesses in a murmur. Wataru sighs out, and while his eyes are still closed, his mouth spins into a grin.

“Wasn’t that the first time we talked, then?”

“No, I meant the first time you _laughed_ ”, Rei corrects. “I think it was when Sakasaki-kun fell asleep on your lap in the handicrafts club room and Itsuki-kun called the sight cute.”

“Hmm? I thought I was the only one with a perfect memory”, Wataru laughs, finally opening his eyes. “I think for me… yes, definitely that one time you almost kissed me.”

“That”, Rei’s face flushes at the memory. “You could tell?”

“And I would’ve kissed you back”, Wataru closes his eyes again. “Oh, what a tragedy that we were interrupted back then!”

“Maybe it was better this way”, Rei sighs. “It already hurt too much to lose you all, so to imagine we were...”

“I know”, Wataru whispers.

They sit in silence for a while. Kanata splashes at the water and hums a melody Rei thinks might be one of RYUSEITAI’s songs, and the familiar sounds are so comforting that he feels himself relax and lean back against Wataru. Something like a memory flicks into his mind, and he rubs his thumb along Wataru’s fingers.

“You really into biting?”

Wataru laughs, clear and bright, but when he speaks, it’s in a whisper.

“Such a vulgar question, when we haven’t even kissed yet”, he scolds, fondness leaking through from his tone.

“I’d fix that, if not for our location”, Rei promises, and Wataru quiets, lifts his head, tilts it to the side.

“You can refuse, but the thing is, I’m personally getting a bit tired of having to hide how much I adore you.”

It’s a bold suggestion, for sure, but Rei thinks it over – and he feels the same. So much yearning, so much missed time, and, really – how much harm would it do if people knew? It’s their last year, and there’s little reputation left to lose.

“Yeah”, Rei agrees.

They kiss on the edge of the fountain, so nervous it’s like they’d never kissed anyone before, and after parting, Wataru presses his lips on Rei’s cheek, chin, neck.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I ever want to stop”, Wataru’s voice is hushed, before kissing the side of Rei’s neck again.

“Fortunately, I don’t think I mind”, Rei replies, raising a hand to run through Wataru’s hair. “God, you’re divine. Have I never told you that?”

“You can tell me that every day from now on”, Wataru suggests, “but only if I can tell you I love you as many times a day as I want.”

“That’s an unequal exchange, but I’ll just say it back to you each time”, Rei closes his eyes, presses his face against Wataru’s hair. “If that’s okay.”

“More than”, Wataru murmurs. “I think I’ll keep my mark uncovered from now on.”

“I won’t”, Rei chuckles, and Wataru muffles a giggle against Rei’s neck.

“Not that I didn’t want everyone to know, but maybe that’s for the better. Mine just isn’t as obvious as yours.”

“If you want, I can make a matching mark on the other side of your neck”, Rei suggests, and Wataru gasps, tearing away from Rei.

“Well! That’s bold! Why don’t you take me on a date, first?”

“This sunday good?”

“Absolutely perfect”, Wataru nods, then repeats the phrase against Rei’s mouth while his hands find their way to cup Rei’s face. “ _Absolutely_ perfect.”


End file.
